Screw driver



Nov. 15, 1932. "R. P. HENRY SCREW DRIVER Filed Feb. 12, 1952 MVM/U7@ y@ Patented Nov. v15, 1932 ROY I. HENRY, F BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN SCREW DRIVER Application mea February 1e, 1932. serial No. 592,568.

The invention relates to screw drivers, about'. the shank of which a sheath is carried having peculiar screw holding jaws capable of holding a screw while in the process of 5 placing as well as screwing the same into position.

. Many instances occur in the placing and driving of screws in out of the way places, such as for instance, corners, into deep and often dark places, narrow openings, and various sundry other positions where often the operator cannot easily place nor hold a screw and operate the screw driver at the same time.

My invention has amongst other objects, not only to hold a screw while operating a screw driver, but also toso form the screw holding means, whereby when the screw is driven to a. seat, the mechanism which had retained the screw in position, will back up without injury to the surface into which the screw was driven.

Other lobjects of the invention, is to so form a screw driver that it will be simple in construction, economical to manufacturer,

readily comprehensible to an ordinary arti-- san, and a screw driver that is not overly bulky, clumsy, nor ungainly in appearance, and a device for the purpose that will readily attract and draw trade not only from a novice, but from carpenters, cabinet makers, pattern makers, metal operatives, and artisans in various branches of trade.

The invention will be' best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specifications, with the understanding however that it is not confined to the strict con 40 formity with the showing ofthe drawing, but may be changed and modified, so long as such changes and modifications-mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention expressed in the appended claims.

Fig. l is a side longitudinal View of my improved `screw driver with the barrel, and its screw holding jaws lowered in a position for inserting a screw head between the jaws.

Fig. 2 is a view of the screw driver at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal center section of the screw driver.

Fig. 4 is the screw driver, partially in'sec- 55 tion, showing the barrel' and its sheath and screw holding jaws elevated above the blade end of the screw driver.V

Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal portion showing the jaws in position while placing a screw between the jaws while closed to accommodate a certain sized screw Fig. 6 is a cross section of Fig. 5, on the line 6.4

Fig. 7 is the jaw end of the screw driver. 65

Fig. 8 illustrates a blank of the sheath before forming up, including the j aws, and the intermediate fingers, but without the holding notches as afterwards formed on the outer faces of the jaws.

In the drawing, like marks of .reference refer to corresponding parts in the different views; wherein, A represents a handle secured to the screw driver shank B, by a pin l, in a customary manner.

LThe shank B, by preference, is of round steel and near its lower end is formed with y an annular offset shoulder 4, against which fingers 5 of the sheath 6, encircling the shank abuts, for the purpose of preventing the sheath from dislodgment from the shank.

This sheath also forms odset spring jaws 7 bowed outward in form, and having transverse outer corrugations or notches 8 between the apex of the bows and the sheath proper. These corrugations or notches, are for engaging an annular rim 9 of a surrounding barrel l0, the purpose of the rim on the barrel being to securely hold the jaws in proper relation with a screw when engaged thereby. As shown, the spring screw holding jaws 7 are intermediate the fingers 5, and from the outer bow of the same they-converge k somewhat about the head of the screw driver head, and at their ends are formed with screw abutting indented shoulders 11 having arcu ate screw gripping terminals. Preferably the outer ends of the jaws are somewhat curved at the ends, as shown in Fig. 7, to more 100 spring 13, about the screw driver shank, the I opposite end of the spring abutting against` the handle end. The shoulder l2 upon its inner face abuts the outer end of the sheath 6, when the spring 13 is unrestrained, and

' forces both the barrel and sheath downward on the screw driver shank, unless restrained by the operator of the instrument.

As will be apparent, by the provision of the jaw ends being curved about a common center, and their walls parallel, when a screw is driven to a seat in an object, the jaws will gradually retract, as the screw head enters said object and the jaws push their sheath and surrounding barrel rearwardly and contract the spring to a minor extent, without injury to a surface in which the screw was driven.

In operation, ones fingers grasp the jaws 7, to hold them from both turning and backward movementon the shank of the screw driver; and move the outer barrel somewhat rearwardly to accommodate a screw between the jaws, after which the barrel is lowered so that its inner rim will grasp the corrugations of the jaws and prevent the screw from becoming loose lin said vjaws whilst the screw is in proper position with its slot over the blade end of the screw driver, after which the screw is in proper form for being driven. Fig. 5 illustratesa mode of inserting a screw between the jaws of the screw driver. In driving a screw as ordinarily done, all ythat is necessary is to partially elevate the b arrel and the jaws and use the screw driver 1n an ordinary manner.

From the foregoing disclosure of the invention, taken in connection with the drawing illustrating the novelty of its construction, it is believed its novelty, advantages and usefulness will have been fully comprehended.

Having therefore set forth my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a screw driver, the combination with the shank of a screw driver, its handle and a compression coil spring about said shank below said handle, of a screw driving head at the opposite end of said shank, said head having an annular shoulderabove the blade end of said head, a sheath about said shank between said spring and said shoulder and having forwardly and outwardly extending resilient screw clamping jaws forming a part therewith and adapted to extend over said head, a barrel about said sheath having a shoulder adaptedto abut the rear end of said sheath below said spring,- said ba'rrel bein limited to longitudinal movement on sai sheath whereby it may be moved to force said jaws to a common center -about a screw head,

and release said head when retracted, or

extending screw clamping jaws forming a` part therewith and adapted to extend over said head, said sheath having intermediate fingers between said jaws forming a part with said sheath and adapted to abut said shoulder-to limit the movement of said sheath on said shank, a barrel about said sheath having a shoulder between said spring and sheath and4 adapted to abut said sheath at its upper end, said barrel being limited to longitudinal movement on said sheath and adapted to extendonto said jaws `and force them to a common center about the head of a screw and release said screw when retracted, or when said head has been driven to a seat in a surface.

3. In a screw driver, the combination with a screw driver shank, of a compression coil spring about said shank, and a limiting stop on said shank at one end of said spring, a screw driving head forming at its end a screw driving blade, said head above said blade having an annular shoulder, a sheath about said shank having forwardly and outwardly bowed screw clamping jaws forming a part therewith, said aws having transverse corrugations between the apex of said bow and said sheath, said sheath having intermediate lingers between said jaws and forming a part with said sheath, said fingers adapted to abut said annular shoulder to limit said sheath on said shank, a barrel about said sheath having a shoulder between said spring and the upper end of said sheath, said barrel adapted to force said jaws to a common-center about a screw head in its engagement` with said corrugations, and release said head when retracted or when said head has been driven to a seat in an object. l

4. In a screw driver, the combination with h screw driver shank, ofa handle at one end thereof and a compression coil spring about said shank below said handle, a screw driving head forming at its end a screw driving blade, said head above said blade having an annular shoulder, a sheath about said shank between said spring and said shoulder, said sheath having forwardly and outwardly extending bowed screw clamping jaws adapted to project over said head, said sheath having intermediate fingers between said jaws adapted to abut said shoulder and limit said sheath on said shank, said fingers and jaws forming an integral part with said sheath, said jaws having transverse corrugations between 10 the apex oi said bow of said jaws and said sheath, a barrel about said sheath having a Y shoulder between said spring and the upper end of said sheath, said barrel at its opposite end being enlarged and having an internal rim adapted to engage said corrugations of Y said jaws, whereby when said barrel is moved into engagement with said-eorrugations, said jaws will hold a screw while being driven, substantially as set forth and described.

5. In a screw driver, the combination with a screw driver shank and its handle and a compression coil spring about said shank below said handle, of a limiting stop near its screw Adriving blade end, a sheath about said shank longitudinally adjustable between said handle and limiting stop, said sheath having alternate screw clamping jaws and fingers formed therewith, said ingers adapted to abut said limiting stop and limit said sheath on said shank, said jaws having arcuate inner faces and curved outer walls with transverse corrugations above the apex of said jaws, said jaws near their ends being formed with internal shoulders to limit a screw between said jaws, a barrel longitudinally movable/ on said sheath and having an inturned flange adapted to abut said spring and the outer end of said sheath, said barrel at its opposite end adapted to engage said corrugations of said jaws and force said jaws to hold a screw therebetween, substantially as set forth and described.

ROY P. HENRY. 

